


I Like What I See

by Kiku_Takamoto



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 90'S, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Billy Hargrove Redemption, F/M, Female Steve Harrington, Period-Typical Homophobia, Trans Female Character, Trans Steve Harrington, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:40:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28900548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiku_Takamoto/pseuds/Kiku_Takamoto
Summary: Eight years after earning his reputation as being the King of Hawkins, Billy Hargrove is finally able to put his horrible past behind him.But a familiar face from the past makes him question his unresolved feelings and if his past is truly behind him.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

“Ok Billy, let’s call it a night!” Billy sighed stiffly, the sound of his back cracking sent relief throughout his body.

“Thank fuck, my back is killing me,” his boss José laughed slightly handing his coworker and employee cleaning supplies for his chair and station that was in the far corner of the shop. It was moments like this Billy was happy he could make his own schedule and relax from leaning over all day.

It had been 8 plus years since Billy Hargrove had returned to California, and he couldn’t be happier. Three plus years of a tattoo apprenticeship landed him a permanent position as a full-time tattoo artist, he was popular among the rock musicians big and mediocre, but he wasn’t picky. He loved tattooing any challenges requests, even if it came from soccer moms going through a mid-life crisis. But if his back and shoulders could talk, they would probably tell him to go fuck himself all day long for choosing such a physically straining job.

“You want to grab a drink? There is a bar down the street.”

“Yeah, why the hell not? Shitbird is out with her friends tonight anyways,” Max had since graduating from Hawkins moved to California to work for a year before entering college, and for the two siblings’ things only improved. Being away from Neil really made their relationship stronger, Billy felt like he actually had a normal relationship with his sister, and he loved it.

He wouldn’t admit outload, but he was deeply grateful for his sister. Billy was surprised at how much he changed after getting out of his father’s grip, he wasn’t angry all the time and if he did ever start to slip up his sister wasn’t afraid to call him out. To him it was almost funny in a way, someone not blood related to him acted more like real family then his own father ever had.

Billy shook off the feelings of nostalgia as he and José finally entered the bar not far from the tattoo shop. The two artists entered the bar and sat with their whiskey on the rocks when a pair of women caught Billy's attention immediately, something was familiar about them. He could of have sworn he’s seen them both before, but where? His co-worker and boss caught his questioning glance.

“What’s wrong, Hargrove?”

“That blonde over there,’ José looked in the direction of Billy’s finger, pointing at the blonde with a messy updo, ‘Pretty sure she’s from my high school, graduated the same year as me.“

Jose laughed raising any eyebrow, “The one in the middle of fuckin nowhere? I thought you said all the girls were cows.”

“Yeah, it’s not her I care about. It’s the hot piece of ass next to her,” Billy pointed at the brunette next to her, her laugh was instantly intoxicating to him. But something about her bothered him.

“Oh, shit dude! I know that girl!” José yelled out smiling. Billy looked at him in surprise, had he seen the girl at the shop before?

“For real?”

“Yeah, that’s Stevie, she the pediatric nurse that looked after Eva after she had her appendix removed. I’m telling man that woman has a heart of gold. My _mija_ wanted to stay at the hospital because she loved Stevie so much,” Billy almost laughed at the dreamy look on his coworkers face.

“You’ve slept with her, haven’t you?”

“Now, now, don’t give me too much credit,’ he cackled, ’She has no interest in me, but then again she doesn’t date much now that I think about it? Then again, she works like 80-hour weeks, medical people am I right?”

“I think I’ll change that,” Billy gave wolfy smile, José laughed at his friend’s ambition, giving him a small pat on the shoulder.

“Good luck my man, let me introduce you,” before Billy could stop his now buzzed boss, José started dragging himself and Billy over to the pair.

“Hey Stevie!” the brunette turned around for the first time facing the two men, her eyes instantly shocked Billy. Her eyes were so big and doe like.

“Oh! Mr. Ramirez! How are you?” she greeted back with a smile. Her friend besides her looked the conversation in interest.

“Oh please! My father is Mr. Ramirez, ’Jose joked giving small smile back at the nurse, ’Outside the hospital you can call me José!”

Billy smirked as he took in the brunette’s appearance, she had a dark red knee-high dress on with a jean Sherpa jacket, she was kind of tall for a girl. But hey a beautiful girl is beautiful girl, right? Though to Billy something was still off. Before he could speculate anymore, the girl finally noticed him behind José. As soon as the girl saw Billy, she looked like she had the holy ghost scared out of her.

“What’s her problem?” he mumbled to himself. He hated when people looked at him fearfully, it was a fresh reminder of what an ass he was while in high school and how many of his peers he made fearful through his legacy as the King of Hawkins.

“Ah! Stevie, this is my second in command at the tattoo shop, Billy Hargrove! Billy this beautiful lady by night and hero by day is Stevie Maione, and the lovely blond next to her is Robin Buckley.”

José patted Billy back before pointing a nearby table, giving Billy a small smirk, ‘Some of my friends are there Hargrove, good luck and see you Wednesday, if you get lucky tonight.”

The girl was still frozen in place, Billy knew now with José gone and no one else around to distract him he had the chance to investigate and find out who this girl was, “So Stevie … you work at the hospital? That’s great, I could really use a full body check up.”

He leaned in closer to her tightening his white tank top so his abs could be seen through the material. The brunette was now blushing brighter than any sunburnt tourist he saw on the beach, he couldn’t tell if she was either mortified, lustful or both.

“Ah, ha ha, sorry Hargrove. I’m not that type of nurse, I work mainly for surgical patients,” she giggled nervously, using her manicured red nail to put a distance between her and the blonde. Her awkward attempt at looking cool was intriguing, Billy had seen a guy on the basketball team at Hawkins to the same shit at the ice parlor with all the female customers in the summer of 1984. In fact, now that he thought of it, it was the last time he actually saw the guy since he had graduated earlier that summer.

“Oh, too bad, maybe you can give a private consultation- ‘that when Billy noticed something was completely off about the girl now. She had a strange scar near her hair line and moles that seemed to be painted all over her skin.

“Why that’s a nasty scar, who would want to hurt someone so gorgeous?” he expected the girl to be self-conscious about having a visible scar, but all that met him was an eye roll.

“That plate would have a different opinion-” she stopped on the spot. She wasn’t the only one who looked horrified, even her friend Robin now looked mortified. Billy felt his mouth go dry.

“What?”

“Nothing! I got the scar because someone smashed a plate over my head one night when I was 17- “Robin elbowed her, effectively shutting her up, but Billy wasn’t ready to give up. Thankfully his boss hadn’t taken any notice to the tension, he was too busy ordering another drink and found another woman to flirt with, while his friend cheered on drunkenly, leaving Billy to interrogate the brunette in peace.

“You from Hawkins- “

“Yeah- no! no! I went to school here!” It was obvious she was trying too hard to correct herself, Billy knew this was his chance. 

“Oh yeah? What years?”

“Uhh, Santa Monica High School 1980-1984- “

“Funny, cause I went to that school from 1981-1983 and don’t remember anyone like you … or any Italian babes that were as tall as you for that matter- “

“I have to go, I have a surgery to attend it the morning,” Stevie interrupted downing the last of her drink before grabbing onto Robin leading them both out of the bar and into the cool moist hair outside.

As soon as Billy started to follow them outside the two women stopped and stared questionably at him, he wasn’t ready to give up his curiosity yet, “Let me drive you home princess-”

“I’m coming with her Hargrove, considering we live together,” Robin interrupted standing in front of Stevie despite being shorter than her friend.

“Fine, the more ladies the better,” he joked leading them to the tattoo shop sidewalk where his Camaro was. As he got in the car, he saw Stevie give Robin a look before the blond motioned for her to join her in the back instead of in the front seat. Billy was slightly disappointed, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to stare at the girl.

Despite 10 minutes having passed no one said a word, but Billy had spent those precious minutes noticing some key things about Stevie. The scar on his hairline, the endless amount of moles her skin possessed and those eyes. Eyes that could make any man go down to their knees is what stuck out to him the most.

Stevie was gorgeous no doubt, from her wavy brunette hair down to her petite fingers and her fit figure she was everything a girl would be jealous of and everything that could make a man cum in his pants on the spot at the first sight of her. But those eyes … they reminded him of someone. Someone he used to know.

_“Plant your feet, pretty boy!”_

_“Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington?”_

_“You got some fire in you after all!”_

_“Big eyes, perfect hair, no matter the bitches eat you right up, right princess?”_

Then everything all the sudden everything made sense to Billy.

“You know,’ Both women looked up meeting Billy’s eyes in the review mirror as they stopped at a red light. Billy finally meet eyes with the same big eyes he saw years ago,’ I don’t like liars. You know that. Right, Steve Harrington?”


	2. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy asks Stevie out on a date.
> 
> Stevie asks Robin a heavy question.
> 
> Billy gets a glimpse at how much Stevie has transitioned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!
> 
> \- Topics relating to transphobia inside and outside the LGBT community.   
> \- Use of the word of 'tranny' and 'tranny chaser'.  
> \- Mentions of gender dysphoria  
> \- Use of deadnames

**Chapter 2 – The Date**

“I don’t like liars. You know that. Right, Steve Harrington?”

Stevie visibly squirmed in her seat, suddenly her nails were very interesting to her, “Don’t call me that, I’ve been Stevie for two years now-“

“Maione?”

“I got rid of my last name, my mom was the only person besides Robin that with me every step of the way … through clothes, make up, name changes, vocal practice, hormones, feminization … assholes … everything. So, I wanted her last name after my parents went their separate ways.”

Billy had so many questions, _“What hormones? What the hell is feminization? What the hell am I allowed to ask?”_

“Do the nerds know?”

“Yes and no. Wheeler and Sinclair are the only ones in the dark, as far as they know we just lost touch. Though I’m happy to see that your sister found a job at the Starbucks inside the hospital,” Billy almost felt his jaw drop.

“Wait, how- “

“I work at the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, in pediatrics. I take care of kids mostly 6 to 18 who received surgery, as your boss might have explained. I get coffee from Starbucks everyday, so I see Max pretty often,” not the conversation Billy wanted, but at least he was getting somewhere. Yet he wondered in the back of his mind, he didn’t stop it from escaping his lips.

“So … you completely changed or- “

“Hargrove, you better back track that comment,” Robin seethed. If looks could kill Billy would be good and dead by now. Thankfully Stevie stopped any attempted murder from happening.

“Rob its fine, ’Stevie sighed before meeting Billy’s eyes again, ’Hargrove, I’m a female to the outside world, but on government paper’s well … no. Got anymore invasive questions?”

“Yeah, just a couple. How did you well … know?”

Stevie exchanged a look with Robin before looking back at Billy, “That’s another story for another day, long story short, I feel more like myself then I ever did before.’

For some reason hearing that grew an uncomfortable knot in Billy’s throat, he didn’t know whether to feel sorry for his former classmate or slap himself for instigating the topic in the first place.

‘So yeah, Rob, my mom, Ms. Byers and Henderson started doing research and 6 or so years later I officially became Stefania ‘Stevie’ Arianna Maione.”

“Shit Harringt- Maione, didn’t know- “

“You’re not the only one. No one else knows … so do me a favor and keep that info to yourself. If you don’t, you might as well make a noose for me right now.”

Billy wasn’t ready for that, “W-What?”

“Most parents don’t like a tranny looking after their kids, as far the hospital visitors, patients and the majority of the staff know I know I am female. But hey, how am I kidding? They’ll think you’re crazy, I mean look at me,” Billy couldn’t help but smirk at the remark, he loved the snark and the new confidence.

_“Where was this Harring- - Steve- Stevie! Dammit! I’m already fuckin up!”_ Billy was happy he lelt his high school persona behind. But he would have liked to keep his smoothness. This very moment was proof of that trait being on the verge of being non-existent.

Robin almost laughed at Billy’s uncomfortable state, “She’s right you know, Hargrove. But all jokes aside, I will hunt you down and turn your balls into wall trophy if you say a word- “

“Don’t worry. In case you two haven’t noticed, I’m not fuckin’ 17 anymore- “

“Yeah? What have you’ve been up to?” Robin inquired. Billy felt like he was being integrated by a girl’s father on their first date.

“Well, I work in a tattoo ship, and shitbird is here in California. She wants to be a sport medicine physician or some fancy shit like that, so I’m not an alpha keg king asshole … scratch that. I’m still an asshole, but only when needed of course”

“Oh, like when?” Stevie challenged.

“Like those drunk Rockstar wannabes who try to get a free tattoo out of me after a 6-hour session.”

“Ok you have a point … and I’ll admit you’re far more bearable to talk to now, even with that mullet of yours,” she smirked. Billy pretended to look hurt before looking in the back mirror again.

“Easy, easy, I look damn good you know?”

“Can't argue with that, Hargrove,” she replied with a small smirk as they approached the outside of an apartment building. 

“Nice, maybe I’ll see you around,” Stevie knew immediately that wasn’t a question, it was a silent hope.

“Sure,” she whispered getting out of the car with robin.

“Night Hargrove!” Robin yelled as the two women disappeared into the building. Billy’s heart was still beating with curiosity. He didn’t know what he was thinking or feeling, he only knew one thing: he had to see Stevie again. He screwed before, he wasn’t going to do it again.

**\- Wednesday –**

Stevie sighed in exhaustion; she could finally have a break. But before she could enjoy the lack of weight on her feet and her recently empty bladder, her friend was already begging for coverage later that day.

“But Stevie- “

“No Veronica, I got here at 4:00 AM to help with the emergency surgery ward. I can’t cover your surgery at 8:30, otherwise they might have to do a resurrection order on me,” Stevie deadpanned while drinking her 4th coffee of the day.

“You got me there,” her friend joked. The conversation was cut short when another hospital worker, Alfonzo, came in with flowers. Stevie was immediately intrigued, usually flowers went directly to the patient’s rooms, why was he here in the break room?

“Senorita Stevie, you got roses, “the man smiled coyly, Stevie was so shocked she could barely muster a thank you as the man left the room to deliver more mailed gifts to the patients.

Veronica had a huge grin on her face, “Oh! What does it say?”

Stevie cleared her throat before reading the card, “Roses for the most beautiful rose. Sushi tonight? Day off today, my number: 619-XXX-XXXX – Billy Hargrove.”

“Ohh, Stevie has an admirer!” Veronica teased, soon two other nurses joined over cooing at the beautiful bouquet.

“Who is it?” another nurse with messy blonde hair asked with a smirk on her face. Stevie wanted to melt to the ground. She knew the nurses in her ward would be more interested in this then she wished.

“A guy who I used to go to high school with, back in Indiana,” she explained fixing her hair. She hoped that explanation would be enough to sooth their curiosity. She was wrong.

“You never dated?”

“No, we were … different back then.”

“ _What am I supposed to say? ‘Oh yeah, he beat my face in and acted a typical 80’s bully, oh and on top of that I was guy!’”_

“Well, go for it girl! Even if the date is bad, free sushi!” Veronica pushed; Stevie gave out a shaky breath. She knew she was going to regret this.

“One sec, I have to make a phone call,” she groaned ignoring the small audience that was watching her as she waited for the phone to connect. 

“Hargrove,” a groggily voice answered. Stevie rolled her eyes, why wasn’t she surprised Billy was asleep in the middle of the day?

“Billy? It’s me, Stevie,” the sudden rustle of bed sheets confirmed her suspicions.

“Well, well, you like my roses?” he asked as he was coughing to erase the tiredness from his voice. Stevie had to muster her will power to hold back from laughing.

“I actually really do. How did you know what ward I worked in?”

“Not that hard princess, apparently you get asked out quite a lot. Then again, I’m not surprised,” it took all herself control not let her face turn bright red on the spot.

“Um, listen I get out of work around 7 and it’ll take me half an hour to freshen up, I know its kind late, but did you want- “

“I’ll pick you up at 7:40, princess. Don’t worry about fleshing up too much. Even with dark eyes and messy hair you’re already way more attractive than those leather bag skins at the surf- “

“Billy” Stevie chided. She could clearly hear Billy holding back a laugh.

“Ok, ok. I’ll see you in a while … pretty girl,” he teased. That very nickname was enough or Stevie’s face and neck to blush redder than the pale people going to the beach without sunscreen.

“Ok … I’ll meet you at the front of the hospital near the children hospital entrance,” she instructed before hanging out, she didn’t know if she could handle anymore flirting frrom the man. As she turned around, she saw her fellow nurses looking more excited at her date then she did.

“Stevie has a date!”

“Yeah … yeah, I have a date,” Stevie confirmed. The voices around her were congratulating her for finally accepting a date after refusing so many offers, she didn’t even fight back as they offered to fix her hair for her date. She had only one though on her mind:

_“I have a fuckin’ date with Billy Hargrove.”_

**\- A Few Hours Later –**

Billy arrived at the hospital on the dot. He wanted to smack himself on the head, he was acting like a teenage girl going on her first date, but he couldn’t help it. Strangely enough, this was probably the first time he was genuinely excited to go on a date, even though he knew he probably wasn’t going to make a home run tonight.

Also right on the dot was Stevie herself. She was wearing a plaid pencil skirt with thin black sweater and a hospital issued jacket. It was obvious she was tired but at the same time, she still looked so well put together.

“ _Holy shit … he- she is more gorgeous than half the whore’s I dated in high school_ ,” Billy rasped out. He was now convinced that both Stevie Maione and Steve Harrington were both living entities that were gorgeous no matter what form they came in. No wonder his boss always had that dreamy look in his eyes.

“Well, you did show up,” she teased, getting to his car. Billy had to force himself to look away as he started the car again.

“Oh, course I did gorgeous, now let’s get you out of here and get some food into your stomach.”

**\- At the Restaurant –**

“So, Harr- Maione, you always wanted to be a nurse?” Billy wanted to slap himself. They were both in far corner of the sushi bar, which meant more privacy and more room to talk openly without worrying about eavesdroppers. But the date was already starting off bad. Why did his flirting skills have to die the moment he knew he was speaking to his former classmate?

“Na, I didn’t really know what I wanted actually. It kind of just came to me.’ She explained simply, before taking another drink from her beer glass. Billy sighed a breath of relief. Good, she hadn’t noticed his small fuck ups, ‘What about you? Tattoo artist extraordinaire.”

“I wanted to be a tattoo artist for a while, but escaping Neil was my priority first. Old man wasn’t so crazy about me liking art. He said it was a fairy thing.”

Stevie frowned slightly, “I’m sorry- “

“No, no, no. Actually I didn’t invite you just to admire you … I also have something to say to you,” his date put her drink down giving him her full attention. He knew it was now or never.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“I’m really bad at this but … I’m sorry for everything high school. Uhh the alpha male, keg king, beating you face in at the Byers house- “

“Hargrove-”

“No, please let me finish,’ Stevie nodded slowly, ’I, uh … I was angry all the time. And I took out all my rage and anger out on you, because I was frustrated with moving, with my dad, with my home life. I was a real asshole, I was the problem, not you. So … yeah. If you can’t forgive me, I don’t blame you.”

Billy couldn’t look at Stevie face to face anymore, the weight of the shame he carried with him was too overwhelming. It wasn’t until Stevie cleared throat scooting her chair closer to him. He felt thin fingers lift his chin up where he met the big brown eyes, “Um listen, Rob and were going to go surfing with her ‘friend’ down by the beach this weekend, uh … you wanna join?”

Billy swallowed the throat in his, the gentle smile on the girl’s face was all he needed to know that she accepted him and his apology after all these years.

“Sure, I’d like that, Stevie. Maybe I can finally teach you how to plant your feet.” He teased; Stevie playfully hit him on the arm while chuckling.

“Oh, shut up!”

After a few seconds of laughter, Stevie gave Billy a genuine smile,‘You have changed a lot these past years. Nice job, Hargrove.”

“Yeah well, I’m in good company,’ He smiled back downing some more of his beer, ‘Max and I usually get brunch once or twice a month, you can come if you want- “

“Sure, but maybe I should tell her that Stevie the nurse has known her for longer than she thought- “

“I can do it,’ Billy immediately backtracked, ‘Um, only if you want me to- “

“No, its ok. If I remember Max correctly, she still the same stubborn girl?”

“Try that times a few thousand,’ Stevie smirked drinking more of her beer, ‘I have a feeling she won’t tell anyone; she loves the parades and festivities that happen every June, you know?”

“Well, those are next month, maybe we can all go. Rob always drags me to those.”

Billy raised an eyebrow, “You don’t like them?”

“Not that, just not everyone there is well, me friendly. Even gays there will gladly tell me that ‘I’m a man’ or ‘you’re just a gay man, embrace that”. Hell, Rob even dumped her at the time girlfriend because shit like that- “

Billy narrowed his eyes, “Shit like what?”

“It was about 1 to 2 or so years into my transition, I only had hormones, I didn’t have any surgery. So I still looked … well like … Steve Harrington,’ Billy gripped her hand tighter, Stevie looked at him in surprise at the hidden comfort, ‘Her girlfriend saw me and told Rob I would never be real woman, and that she would tell her other fellow lesbians so I wouldn’t ‘trick them’.”

“I bet that bitch was jealous once she saw you” Stevie pursed her lips in a vain attempt to hide her embarrassed smile.

“But yeah, and Rob told her to never come back. But some women like her are at pride, granted they are a minority. But I’m always nervous when I’m there, you just never know,” Billy looked at her in surprise

“Shit, I’m sorry. That’s fucked up, you’d think she’d understand having to put up with assholes,” He knew that was weak response to her story, but then again. What else could he say to that?

“Yeah, but I’m still here. Though I kinda wish dating was easier, to be honest at this point I found that dating men and women are equally hard.”

“How so?”

“Long story short, with women there are women like Robin’s ex, and with men they are all visual. If they see a pretty woman, that’s what they like. They don’t know about me, therefore I’m gonna attract straight men!’ Billy smirked at that; he couldn’t help but wonder what his boss would think if he knew that he was star eyed over a transwoman. Then again, his boss probably wouldn’t care, he drooled over any woman he found attractive.

_“Maybe shitbird is right. Men are pigs.”_

‘But the worst by far are the tranny chasers,” Billy raised an eyebrow, he was learning so many new things tonight. It felt more like an education course then a date.

“Tranny chasers?”

“They are horny men that specifically date trans women. Not because they actually like you. But because they like what is under the dress if you catch my drift,” Billy felt so lost.

“You mean they love nailing trans people?”

“Yup, and I had the miss fortune of dating two of them within the last 5 years. Thankfully I never told them my real name or place of work- Oh God, you’re not one, are you?”

“What? No! I went through all this trouble so I could date you!” Stevie looked shocked, but not as shocked as Billy. Did he really just say that outload?

“Y-You really mean that? Or is it Steve Harrington you wanted a date with?”

“Well, to be honest. Whether you stayed Steve or not, I still had feelings for you,’ Stevie looked genuinely surprised and curious, she didn’t even look uncomfortable at the mention of her old name, ‘I don’t know, maybe I’m a Stevie-sexual.”

Stevie froze, she just stared at Billy. The blonde felt himself sweating now. Did he just royally fuck up? The laughter that finally escaped the brunette’s lips answered that.

“Oh my God, you’re such a sap!” both were now laughing so hard Billy could see Stevie dabbing her eyes with her fingers in attempt to stop her make-up from running. 

For the rest of the evening Billy felt his awkwardness slowly go away, he thought dating a former classmate, who happened to be transgender and his old crush none the less, would be awkward as hell. But with Stevie it was so natural. Yet, Billy still had questions in his mind, but he didn’t dare ask them in public, or hell, at all for that matter.

As he drifted in and out of sleep in his room the question still bothered him:

Was Stevie … completely transitioned?

Did she even like sex or want a sex life for that matter?

How could he ask her these questions without crossing the line? Or causing Robin’s wrath?

Would people call him gay? Straight? Bi? Was he even any of those things? He didn’t know.

All the question clouded his mind until he felt himself go into deep sleep

**-Stevie and Robin’s Apartment –**

“So, he apologized for a tool in high school?” Robin inquired, she was currently painting Stevie’s toes since she did their nails last time, but considering her friend just went out with their former high school asshole classmate she was too interested to even complain.

Stevie sighed heavily gently massaging her night serum into her face and neck while her hair was in its towel wrap, “Pretty much. He’s actually pretty nice. Though I don’t know, he seems emotionally stunted.”

“Having a homophobic asshole as a parent will do that to anyone. I mean look at us,” Stevie let out small chuckle. She didn’t think it was funny by any means, but it was the only comfort she could give herself whenever the thought of her father entered her mind.

Robin nudged Stevie’s leg gently, ‘But hey, look at us now. I manage the theatre house, and you are now a nurse and the woman you were always meant to be.”

“Yeah … I wish I could have done that without going through puberty twice,’ she shivered the memories of her first few years transitioning, ’God, my hips and boobs were hurting so bad I almost wrote an apology letter to every girl who I ever made fun while they were on their period.”

“Oh, stop it you dork,” Robin laughed.

“Rob?’ Stevie asked in a hushed tone, Robin hummed in response allowing Stevie to take a deep breath, ‘I don’t think I ever asked this but … do you prefer me as Stevie. Or do you sometimes miss Steve Harrington?”

Robin stopping painting on the spot. She got up from her position sitting closer to her roommate before grabbing her hand gently. The smile she gave Stevie almost gave the girl a knot her throat.

“I don’t miss Steve Harrington one bit, and you know why?”

Stevie looked close to crying, “Rob, please- “

“I don’t miss Steve Harrington because Steve is who Stevie was forced to be. Steve was convinced he had to be a manly jock to be happy. Steve was convinced it was his fault his parents weren’t around. Steve was forced to live a lie because that what bullshit Hawkins taught him. And Steve … well Steve was preventing Stevie from living the life she knew she deserved. … until it was nearly too late.’

Robin leaned in hugging Stevie tightly. After a minute the two separated to which Robin returned to finishing the last of the anils.

‘So, no. I wouldn’t trade you for Steve Harrington. Besides …’ she gave Stevie a reassuring smile, ‘Stevie Maione is so much more attractive to look at.”

Stevie playfully gave Robin a shove before allowing her to continue on.

“You got that right … by the way before I forget, I kind of invited Hargrove to the beach tomorrow- “

Robin’s eyes widen in slightly surprise before giving Stevie a small smile, “For real? Damn, you really do like him.”

Stevie playfully shoved her friend again, laughing slightly before allowing her friend to continue painting her nails, “Yeah … by the way, the new medical tape is waterproof right?”

“Yeah, why?’ Robin’s smile grew even more, she knew Stevie only used tape for very special occasions, ‘Oh I know that look you have a scheme, gimme the details.”

“Remember that bikini I got last month? The one that you picked out for me?”

“Oh, you’re bringing the big guns,’ Robin whispered, she was now fully intrigued by what was up the brunette’s sleeve, ‘Tell me your master plan.”

For the next hour or so the women came up with a master plan that be both worth all the time and effort.

**\- Saturday – 10:34 –**

Billy had shown up almost 30 minutes early, but he didn’t care. He could catch some waves and have time to glisten his muscles before Stevie and Robin showed up. He was so focused on getting his board back to the beach he didn’t even notice Robin walking his direction.

“Long no see, Hargrove,” Robin yelled carrying the beach blanket and mini cooler over to where Billy’s board was.

Billy returned the wave grabbing the towels for the blonde, “Same with you Buckley. Say where is Stevie- “

The moment Billy saw Stevie in the distance he felt all time stop.

Stevie was in short summary: hot. Her curly hair blew around gently in the breeze, but thats not what caught his attention. She was wearing a white bikini with a mesh rose pattern wrap that seemed to hug her curves perfectly. She was still skinny. Yet, she had curves in all the right places.

As he stared more the more of her body, he was able to absorb. From her groomed eyebrows, to her round lips down to her navel piercing, everything was of interest to him. But what really caught the blonde’s attention was the fleshy mounds that were on her chest. Billy was by no means an expert on medicine but living in California taught him one thing. He could tell which busts were natural, and which ones were the result of going on the knife. Stevie was all natural.

Billy could only stare. He didn’t even care that Robin had a shit eating smirk on her face or that Stevie was coming closer with her oversized beach bag.

He said the first thing that came to mind, “Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very hard to tell how topics/conversations about transgender topics were conducted in the early 90's. *sigh* I tried my best.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Billy did use Stevie's dead name, but since this takes place in the 90's I wanted it to stay fairly accurate. Unfortunately the 90's was still a very difficult time for transgender people and lack of awareness/knowledge on transgender people was much more common.
> 
> Also, if anyone has information on medical treatments that were common in the early to mid 90's for transgender people, please let me know! Finding accurate information is harder than I thought.
> 
> Thank you!


End file.
